MSFT vs NVST Stock Comparison

MSFT currently leads NVST in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 65 vs 57. The clearest difference is quality, while NVST has the stronger value profile.

Market data as of Oct 31, 2026 market close· AIQ score gap 8 points
MSFT
Technology
vs
NVST
Healthcare
MSFT
Microsoft Corporation
Leads
Price
$522
Day move
-1.55%
AIQ Score
65/100
Best edge
Quality
Sector
Technology
NVST
Envista Holdings Corp
Price
$23.51
Day move
-4.47%
AIQ Score
57/100
Best edge
Value
Sector
Healthcare

What is the main difference between MSFT and NVST?

MSFT leads the current stock comparison as Microsoft Corporation, with the clearest separation coming from quality and the broader AIQ evidence mix.

AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison

Microsoft Corporation vs Envista Holdings Corp

Data as of Oct 31, 2026· market close· Cross-sector · Technology vs Healthcare· Coverage 66/66 fields· High confidence
AIQ VerdictFragileAIQ Comparison Conviction 4/10

MSFT leads

MSFT leads by 8 AIQ points, primarily on Quality and Momentum, but the lead has narrowed from 18 points over 30 sessions. Wall Street currently favors NVST on target upside.

Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support MSFT, its lead is narrowing, and its current signal state is conflicted.

Evidence agreement: 3 of 6Comparison trend: Weakening
MSFT

Microsoft Corporation

Leads
AIQ Score
65/100
AIQ Edge Score
9/10
NVST

Envista Holdings Corp

AIQ Score
57/100
AIQ Edge Score
6/10

The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors MSFT over NVST, 65 versus 57 as of Oct 31, 2026. MSFT's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality and momentum, while NVST holds the stronger value profile. MSFT also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors NVST. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor MSFT today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. MSFT lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 18 to 8 points over 30 sessions.

Compare Microsoft Corporation and Envista Holdings Corp across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.

Currently unavailable

Performance over time

Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.

MSFT
+68.0%
NVST
-40.3%

Total return comparison

Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested

MSFT $16,800 · NVST $5,967

Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.

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AIQ Factor Divergence

Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.

MSFT advantage
0
NVST advantage
  • Quality89 vs 51
    MSFT +38
  • Value44 vs 61
    NVST +17
  • Momentum60 vs 53
    MSFT +7
  • Risk Resilience69 vs 70
    Even

3 of 6 evidence groups favor MSFT. MSFT’s edge is concentrated in quality and momentum; NVST keeps a meaningful value edge.

What changed since the last close

Latest scored session 2026-10-30, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-29.

MSFT0 AIQ

No factor moved materially.

No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 4 active signals are unchanged.

NVST0 AIQ

No factor moved materially.

No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 4 active signals are unchanged.

MSFT's lead was unchanged in the latest session.

Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — MSFT and NVST both carry a full feed there.

The central trade-off

MSFT (Microsoft Corporation): the stronger current systematic profile, led by quality and momentum.

NVST (Envista Holdings Corp): the counter-case, on value, valuation, analyst expectations — but at materially higher volatility, 24.9% against 19.5%.

The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.

Which one fits your objective

The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.

Balanced

MSFT

MSFT on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.

Growth

NVST

NVST on combined revenue and EPS growth.

Value

NVST

NVST on the peer-relative Value factor, by 17 points.

Momentum

MSFT

MSFT on the Momentum factor, by 7 points.

Lower downside

MSFT

MSFT carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility.

Analyst upside

NVST

NVST on implied upside to the consensus price target.

AIQ vs Wall Street

The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors MSFT, analyst targets favor NVST. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.

MeasureMSFTNVSTNote
Implied upside to target+10.3%+23.7%NVST has more room
Target dispersion+56.5%+37.8%Lower is tighter analyst agreement
ConsensusBuyBuyContext, not a primary driver
Analysts covering2310Higher coverage generally improves confidence

The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.

Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

AIQ Agreement Matrix

3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor MSFT. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.

Evidence groupFavorsReading
AIQ ScoreMSFT65 vs 57
FundamentalsMSFTon balancerevenue growth 8.6% vs 3.5%; EPS growth 12.4% vs 37.5%; TTM ROE 33.2% vs 4.1%; gross margin 67.9% vs 55.5%; operating margin 46.8% vs 9.9% — MSFT takes 4 of 5 decided legs, not all of them
ValuationNVSTValue 44 vs 61
TechnicalsMSFTPrice vs 50-day 2.1% vs -4.9%; vs 200-day 21.4% vs -7%
Risk ResilienceEvenRisk Resilience 69 vs 70
Analyst expectationsNVSTTarget upside 10.3% vs 23.7%

✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of MSFT and NVST and are excluded from the count.

AIQ Decision Stability

Fragile

The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.

  • The AIQ gap is moderate at 8 points.
  • Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • The leader's advantage has been narrowing. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)

Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on MSFT.

How the comparison changed

120 daily snapshots · Jul 1 – Oct 30

MSFT lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 18 to 8 points over 30 sessions.

Jul 1MSFT leads above the line · NVST leads belowOct 30
Today
MSFT +8
65 vs 57
7 sessions ago
MSFT +9
64 vs 55
30 sessions ago
MSFT +18
71 vs 53
90 sessions ago
MSFT +9
65 vs 56

The lead changed hands 2 times in this window, most recently on Jul 30 when MSFT moved ahead of NVST.

AIQ Signal Divergence

Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.

MSFTConflicted

3 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted

Only MSFT

  • Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (16.89%)
  • EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
  • Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
  • MACD Bearish Crossover — bearish, momentum, short horizon
NVSTConflicted

1 bullish / 2 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted

Only NVST

  • Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
  • Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (4.09%)
  • Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
  • MACD Bullish Crossover — bullish, momentum, short horizon

MSFT leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.

Price vs model alignment

Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.

MSFTNo material change

Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -1.55%, AIQ 0 points).

NVSTNo material change

Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -4.47%, AIQ 0 points).

What would flip this result

A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.

  1. 1NVST closes the Quality gap — currently 38 points behind, the largest single contributor to MSFT's edge.
  2. 2NVST's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
  3. 3MSFT's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
  4. 4The narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 10 points over 30 sessions, and a further 8-point move would eliminate MSFT's advantage entirely.

The full evidence

Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.

Fundamentals

MSFT leads on balance
MetricMSFTNVST
Revenue growth (YoY)8.6%3.5%
EPS growth (YoY)12.4%37.5%
Gross margin67.9%55.5%
Operating margin46.8%9.9%
Return on equity (TTM)33.2%4.1%
Debt to equity0.290.52

Performance

Split across windows
MetricMSFTNVST
1 week (5 sessions)-0.4%3.2%
1 month (20 sessions)3.5%2%
3 months (63 sessions)17.7%-13.8%
6 months (126 sessions)25.1%-7.6%
Year to date9.8%10.3%
1 year (252 sessions)1.4%17.6%

Technicals

MSFT has the stronger structure
MetricMSFTNVST
RSI (14)55.363.3
ADX (14)24.721.9
Price vs 50-day2.1%-4.9%
Price vs 200-day21.4%-7%
Volatility (1M, annualized)19.5%24.9%

Risk

Split
MetricMSFTNVST
Beta1.021.14
Sharpe ratio-0.020.55
Sortino ratio-0.030.93
Max drawdown-34.9%-26%
Current drawdown-2.3%-20.9%
Annualized volatility32.9%37.8%
Value at risk (95%)-2.8%-3.1%

Straight answers

Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.

Which is better, MSFT or NVST?

On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, MSFT is the stronger of the two as of Oct 31, 2026, scoring 65 against NVST's 57. The edge comes from quality and momentum. NVST is not without a case — it holds the better value profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.

Is MSFT or NVST the better buy right now?

MSFT carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 31, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. Treat the lead as provisional.

Why does the AIQ Score favor MSFT over NVST?

The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. MSFT leads Quality by 38 points; NVST leads Value by 17 points; MSFT leads Momentum by 7 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.

Which has more analyst upside, MSFT or NVST?

Analyst price targets imply +10.3% upside for MSFT and +23.7% for NVST, so the Street currently favors NVST. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors MSFT. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

Which is better value, MSFT or NVST?

NVST is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. NVST on the peer-relative Value factor, by 17 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.

Which has stronger growth, MSFT or NVST?

NVST on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.

Which has stronger momentum, MSFT or NVST?

MSFT on the Momentum factor, by 7 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.

Which is riskier, MSFT or NVST?

MSFT is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. MSFT carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.

Is MSFT more profitable than NVST?

MSFT leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 67.9% vs 55.5%; operating margin 46.8% vs 9.9%; ttm roe 33.2% vs 4.1%.

Is MSFT's lead over NVST getting stronger or weaker?

MSFT lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 18 to 8 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-07-01 and 2026-10-30. The lead has changed hands 2 times in that window, most recently on 2026-07-30, when MSFT moved ahead of NVST.

What would change the MSFT vs NVST verdict?

The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: NVST closes the Quality gap — currently 38 points behind, the largest single contributor to MSFT's edge; NVST's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; MSFT's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; the narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 10 points over 30 sessions, and a further 8-point move would eliminate MSFT's advantage entirely.

What do the current signals say about MSFT and NVST?

MSFT: 3 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. NVST: 1 bullish / 2 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on MSFT is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On NVST it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).

Compare MSFT and NVST with others

Continue your research

This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.

How this comparison is scored

The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.

The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.

How to use side-by-side comparison →

This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.